We Did It! Our Second Marathon - Boston Marathon 2010 - A Success

It's been almost a week since we ran - and finished - our first Boston Marathon. It was one of the most inspiring, uplifting and unforgettable events of our lives!

We were both a little worried about our ability to complete this run because training in the winter had been pretty tough. From work travel schedules and commitments to bad weather, we missed a lot of our midweek training runs. And, on our last long run - 20 miles - we both fell short of our goals - contending with unseasonal heat (80s), a really bad cold (me) and a bit of poor planning (we ran out of fuel with nowhere to replenish). We ended up walking part of the way, so heading into the marathon we had some mental demons to overcome.

In addition, the night before our last long run, I came down with what turned into a month-long cold/sinus infection. By the time the marathon arrived, I had been to the doctor twice the week before, including the day before the run. When we picked up our bib numbers at the Expo on Saturday before the marathon, I was really under the weather, not able to breathe well and really unsure if I was going to be able to complete this race.

I think, however, when the nurse said to me, "I don't know how you're going to run a marathon - you sound awful," it lit a fire under me. Well, that and the adrenalin from the energy in Boston. Just attending the Expo on Saturday was energizing, and I was bound and determined to get myself up for at least finishing - if not shattering any records.

On Monday morning, we woke up at 4 a.m. in order to get to the city where the buses were picking up runners at 6 a.m. We were part of the Children's Hospital Boston Mile for Miracles team, so we were lucky to have our own bus and not have to contend with all of the 25,000 other runners. We were part of a smaller group of about 300, which was nice.

We got to Boston with plenty of time to spare and enjoyed our bus ride from Boston to Hopkington. When we arrived, Children's had a great spot set up for our group in the Masonic Temple hall, where they had chairs, a couch (which Rich and I were lucky enough to snag!), food (bagels, granola bars, fruit, water, Gatorade and more), medical/health goods (bandages, tissues, antibacterial lotions, etc.) and our own bathrooms. If you've ever run a large marathon like Boston, you can appreciate what this means. Unlike general field runners, we had a private, warm place to wait for the start - which for most of us, was over three hours from the time we arrived (because of road closures, you have to get to the start hours before the race actually begins).

By the time the race began, we were lucky enough to have the sun shining and we could actually take our "throw away sweats" off in advance and send them back in our bags with the bus, rather than throw them out. We were pretty far back in the crowd - the second to last wave of runners to begin - but we were okay with that - we were trying to remember that we were just here to experience this race and finish it, not set any records.

You always hear about the Boston crowds but nothing can accurately describe the energy, support and entertainment that the crowds from Hopkington to Boston provide. It was such an inspiration, and so entertaining, I liken it to being in a "reverse parade."

Also, the crowd - and all the crazy runners wearing costumes - made the early miles fly by. Before I knew it, we were at mile 10! I managed to take our photo at mile 5 and had planned to do so at each 5 mile mark, but that idea quickly faded. Instead, we just high fived each other - no words needed - at every mile marker.

By the half way mark, we were beginning to feel our energy fade a bit, and I think we were both hoping we'd see someone there to cheer us on. Luckily, at mile 14 or so, my oldest brother, Brian, managed to see us from the crowd, yell our names loud enough for us to hear, and was just the "oomph" we needed! We stopped, gave a quick hug and took a quick photo, and continued on our way.

At about mile 15 or 16, Rich's thighs started to cramp up. He wasn't sure why - it was a pain he'd never experienced before, and he felt adequately hydrated, so he was struggling with how to work out the cramps. We stopped a few times to walk or stretch, but he kept pushing himself to run, even if slowly. Just as he was hitting that mental block that comes from unexpected pain and challenges, we saw two more of our friends cheering us on - we hadn't expected to see them so again, it really made a difference and gave us inspiration to keep going.



This photo taken by Brian Dilg. Click here for more Marathon photos by Brian.



We had a planned agreement in place to run together until mile 20 and then, if one of us felt like going faster, we would. In Dublin, we stuck together the entire way, and we've done every long training run together - so sticking to this agreement was easier said than done. However, I was feeling really good and wanted to see if I could push my time. So at Heartbreak Hill we separated.

I have to admit that running into Boston and into the crazy, enthusiastic crowds was exhilarating - but it was a little bittersweet not to be enjoying that moment alongside Rich. In the end, I was able to push my time down to a 4:36; about 20 minutes faster than Dublin, and Rich also finished - with a smile - at 4:52, several minutes faster than his Dublin time. And, we were both healthy! I waited after crossing the finish line and was so happy to see Rich cross a few minutes after me with a huge smile on his face.

We celebrated afterward with a lobster dinner at home with our kids and Rich's mother. It was definitely an unforgettable day and one of the best feelings of accomplishment. To run such a famed and respected race was really exciting. To finish was exhilarating.

I believe we can push ourselves faster, but for us, that's not what these races are all about. From training together and supporting/pushing each other when the other one needs it, to experiencing something new together - these events are as much about an amazing experience together as a couple as they are about personal trial and triumph.

Rich had said during this training that he was "retiring" after Boston - that this isn't his sport. So maybe in the future I'll be on my own - although I doubt the experience will be as fulfilling. But then again, because Boston went so well, he's already started looking at other marathons... so who knows! The sense of pride that comes with training so long for something and pushing yourself to limits you didn't know you could reach, can be addicting.

For now, we'll be running smaller races next - The Scituate Firefighters 5k on Mother's Day to benefit The Friends of Eric Donovan, and Boston's Run to Remember 1/2 marathon on May 30.

Thank you to the Boston crowds and all the generous people who handed out tissues, paper towels, baby wipes, oranges, licorice, water and more during the race! Thanks to the raced organizers, the BAA and Children's Boston Hospital for everything they did for runners - it was a Class A experience. We also want to send extra special thanks to everyone - family, friends, colleagues, clients and even strangers! - who donated to sponsor us as we ran the marathon and raised funds for Children's Hospital Boston. Your generosity and support was truly touching. To-date, we've raised almost $8,000 and people continue to support us! We're so close and would still love to reach our big goal of $5k each, so if you are so inclined, we continue to fund raise for this great institution through May 19. You can read more and donate, here or here.

Thank you so much for all of your support - we'll see you on the road!